Combination cigarette holder and lighter



April 28, 1931; R. L. WILT ETAL COMBINA'I'ION CIGARETTE HOLDER AND LIGHTER Filed Oct. 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet h w fwmw L. E m 43W April 28, 1931. R. L. W|L T ETAL.

COMBINATION CIGARETTE HOLDER AND LIGHTER Filed Oct. 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 $00671 L wilt,

Patented Apr. 23, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nonna'r n. wmr AND srnrnan r. nnnom, or cnroaeo, more oomnmarrron creennr'ra nonnnn AND momma Application filed October 8, 1927. Serial No. 224,815.

This invention relates to a combination cigarette case and lighter.

tion will more fully appear as we proceed One of the objects of the invention is to produce a compact, unitary structure embodying a container and convenient means for lighting cigarettes.

Another object is to so arrange the parts of the device that'the interior of the container may be illuminated when the cover is raised and the lighter is ignited; that the cigarettes may be conveniently withdrawn and lighted; and that the cover of the container when raised may act as a shield to protect the lighter flame from drafts.

Another object of the invention is to produce a construction wherein the lighter may be either manually operated or automatically operated by the closing or opening of the cover of the cigarette container.

The objects and advantages of our invenw-ith our specification.

' Figure 1 is a perspective View of a combinaview.

tion cigarette holder and lighter embodying our invention. a

Figure 2 is a side view of the device shown in Figure 1, broken away, and partly in section; the section being taken in the plane of the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. The cover for the containeris shown in open posit-ion in this Figure 3 is a side elevation of a modified form oiLthe invention, dotted lines showing the cover in raised position.

. Figure 4 is an enlarged view, broken away,

' and partly in section, of the device shown in Figure 3. v

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

f Figure 6 is an enlarged detail, broken away,

taken in the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the form disclosed in Figures 3 to 6, inclusive, applied to a differently shaped'eontainer.

Figure 8 is a side elevationof another embodiment of my invention, showing the raised cover iii dotted lines.

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 8.

Referrin now to that. embodiment of our invention s 1own in Figures 1 and 2, 10 indicates the body of the container and 11 the cover, hinged thereto at 12, and frictionally held in closed position over the margins of the container 10. As shown, the container 10 is provided on one wall 13 with a supplemental housing 14 inte ral therewith or connected thereto at its e ges by any suitable means,

and spaced from said wall 13 throughout its body portion to form a chamber for the lighter fuel. A familiar type of hardened steel friction wheel 15 is rotatably mounted on a pin 16, which is fixedly secured in lugs 17 extending upwardly from a tubular member 18. The

tubular member 18 is screw threaded, exteriorly just below the lugs 17 to engage threads in the aperture 19 in the upper wall of the housing 14. At the upper end of the exposed end covered when not in use by a hinged cap 23.

In using the device, the cover 11 is preferably first'raised, a cigarette extracted from the container 10, the cap 23 raised and, the frictionwheel 15 mani ulated to cause the flint 20 to spark, there y igniting the wick 22 and permitting the clgarette to be lighted. The cover 11 may be held in vertical position to shield the flame from draft.

Referring now to that form of embodiment of our invention shown in Figures 3 to 7, inclusive,'the container 10, cover 11, hinge 12, wall 13, housin 14, friction wheel 15, shaft 16, lugs 17, tubu ar member 18, screw threaded aperture 19, flint 20, chamber 21 and wick 22, are all. similar to the parts shown and 55 and downwardly directed as s ownin Fig- In addition to the parts referred to, however, we have provided an auxiliary means for igniting the wick 22, which is operable by raising-the cover 11. The mechanism referred to embodies a ratchet wheel 24, located between the wheel 15 and cover 11 on the shaft 16 and keyed thereto as indicated at 25 on Figure 6. The cover 11 is provided with a horizontally bored bracket 27, having a coiled spring 28 within the bore, one end of the spring seated against the closed end of the bracket and the other end of the spring contacting with a plunger rod 29 extending outwardly from the open end of the bracket, to hold the plunger in frictional engagement with the ratchet teeth 26 of the wheel 24.

It will be understood that when the cover 11 is raised the plunger 29 will be carried upwardly with the cover and engaging with the sharp edges of the teeth 26, will rotate the wheel 24, fixed on shaft 16, thereby rotating the friction wheel 15 which engages the flint 20 and produces a spark to ignite the wick 22. When the cover is lowered, the plunger 29 rides over the teeth 26 thereby slightly contracting the spring 28 so that friction is practically eliminated. If a spark is desired without opening the lid 11, the frictionwheel 15 may be manually operated in the usual manner to engage the flint 20.

The cover 11 .may be frictionally held in closed position upon the container 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, but I prefer to provide locking means such as shown in Figure 4, wherein a press button 30 extending through one wall of the container 10 is connected with a spring keeper member 31 adapted to engage a projection 32 on the inside of the cover 11.

A flat spring 33, having ends bearing against the inside of the cover 11 and container 10, respectively facilitates the raising of the cover from the container.

Figures 8 and 9 show another embodiment of our invention wherein the lowering of the cover 11 from open to closed sition produces the spark to ignite the wie 22. In this form. one side of the cover is provided with a knnrled or roughened section 34, the knurls or ridges preferably extendin horizontally ure 9. The housing 14 is provided with upwardly extendin support35, having a horizontally dispose screw threaded aperture through which extends}; tubular sleeve 36, exteriorly screw threaded at one end for engagement with the screw threads of the apertured support 35. Within the sleeve and extending outwardly therefrom toward the cover 11 is a flint rod 37 held in frictional engagement with the knurled section 34 of the cover 11 by the coiled spring 38. The outer end of the sleeve 36 is closed and the spring 38 held therein by a screwcap 39.

When the cover 11 is moved from open to closed position, the knurled section 34 will frictionally contact with the flint 37 and produce a downwardly directed spark to ignite varied and the cover 11 made to enclose the lighter mechanism as well as the cigarette holder. Therefore, we are not to be limited to the exact forms; shown in the drawings, except as pointed out in the appended claim.

We claim as our invention:

A combination cigarette holder and lighter comprising a cigarette container open at one end, a cover hingedly connected to the open end, a spring pressed plunger located externally on one side of the cover, a supplemental housing connected tov one wall of the container and spaced therefrom to form a chamher for fuel, a flint rod, a friction wheel in contact with the flint rod, and a ratchet wheel, said ratchet wheel being located on the supplemental housing in enga ement with the spring ressed plunger on the cover and actuate y said plunger when the cover is moved from closed to open position.

In testimony, that we claim the foregoing as our invention we afiix our signatures this 7 

